The border between Microsoft's "next-gen" operating system Windows Vista, and today's standard Windows XP, just keeps getting thicker and thicker. While the necessity for a major hardware upgrade had already been hinted for a while, reports now also tell us about a serious software barrier to be put in place for all future DirectX 10 games. According to a recent story featured on X-bit labs, Microsoft will not release its next-generation graphics application programming interface (API) DirectX 10 for the Windows XP. Instead, the company will keep the new API strictly for the forthcoming Windows Vista.

"During a DirectX 10-related event in London, UK, Richard Huddy, ATI Technologies’ software developers relations chief, said that Microsoft's Vista will integrate DirectX 10 and DirectX 9 APIs for different types of hardware, but the current Windows XP will not get DirectX 10 support, as suggested some rumours earlier. For end users this means that to get the most advantages of the new-generation graphics processing units (GPUs), the new OS will be required.

Both ATI Technologies and Nvidia Corp. planned to release hardware that supports DirectX 10 capabilities as early as in the second half 2006, however, if there will be no API, which unveils the features of the hardware, the companies may reconsider their plans."

Microsoft did not comment on this story, but if we're to look back at their announcement from early May, it becomes obvious that no comments were in fact needed. While revealing the line-up of games to accompany the release of Windows Vista (supposedly in early 2007), Microsoft also made it very clear that "DirectX 10 will debut exclusively on Windows Vista". And speaking of games, here are the first titles confirmed to be DirectX 10 (or at least Windows Vista) enabled: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, Alan Wake, Company of Heroes, Crysis, Flight Simulator X, Halo 2, Hellgate: London and Shadowrun.

(N.B. Archive text, links removed)